Oattge rod



June 7 1927.

N. E. SALSICH GAUGE ROD Filed Aug. 4:. 1925 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented June 7, 1927.

LYUNITED STATES 1,631,769 PATENT OFFICE.

NEIL E. SALSICH, OF BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA.

GAUGE ROD.

Application filed August of this character are exposed to changing weather conditions and are subjected to severe shocks, ithas been found difiicult to manufacture fibre in the cylindrical form required in the above described construction which will withstand the service conditions in a durable and satisfactory manner.

It is known that fibre, manufactured in the form of sheets, is very durable and sheet fibre has been suggested as an insulator in a gauge rod construction, such aninsulator being placed intermediate to the rail and the clip member. In this latter arrangement the fibre insulator is subjected to severe lateral forces in a direction longitudinally of the rail occasioned by the tendencyof the latter to creep under traffic.

Accordingly, therefore, the principal object of my invention is to provide an in sulated gauge rod construction having an insulator member formed of-sheet insulating material and to connect such an insulator to its clip to prevent lateral displacement. Another object of my invention is to provide an insulator gauge rod construction whereina portion of the thrust, due to the clamping action, is taken against the vertical web of" the rail.

Apparatus made in accordance with my invention is illustrated 1n the accompanying drawings, forming a part of tion, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation-of a gauge rod showing the construction embodyingmy in- Fig. 1- is a cross section taken on 1ine'IV- IV of Fig. 3; a

Fig. 5 is a cross section taken on line V-V" of Fig. t; and

Fla. 6 1s a partial plan view of the gaug rod shown in Fig.1.

Referring now to the drawings more i11 outside flange of one rail of a track.

this applica 4,;1925. Serial No. 48,041.

detail for a better understanding of my invention, I show a gauge rod 10 having a fixed jaw 11 at one end for. engagement over the The other end of the rod 10 is threaded, at 12. A movable aw or clip 13 fits over the threaded end and nut means 14 engages the threaded portion 12 in orderto force the movable clip 13 inwardly to engage the latter over the outside flange of the other. rail of the track.

The movable clip 18 comprises a sleeve portion 15 which fits freely about the rod 10 and which has an upper plane bearing surface 16 adapted to engage beneath the bottom face of the rail. At its outer end, the movable clip member is provided with an overhanging portion 17 adapted to engage over the outside flange of a rail and the port-ion 17 is continued upwardly and inwardly to form a rail web abutment 1S. The overhanging portion 17 preferably defines, with the flat surface 16, a clearance space 19 whereby it is assured that the overhanging member 17 may firmly engage over the top surfaces of railfianges of variable widths and thicknesses.

The movable clip member 13 is preferably made of malleable cast iron and it is provided with ribs 20 for strengthening purposes.

An insulator member 21, made from any suitable type of flat insulating material, is shaped to conform to the upper surface 16 of the movable clip and to the inside surfaces of the overhanging and abutment portions 17 and 18, respectively.

Lateral displacement of the insulator member 21 is preferably prevented by havingthe bent or angular portion 22 thereof extend into a pocket 23 provided in the clip, the pocket having end walls 24; which engage over the angular portion 22 of the insulator member laterally to prevent relative lateral displacement of the insulator member with respect to the clip. As illustrated, the insulator member 21 is preferably made wider than the base portion of the clip so as to assure that the insulator member shall overlap the edges of the base memberyas shown in Fig. 1; and, in order to accommodate the relatively wider insulator member, the outer end portion of the movable clip is widened laterally, not only for this purpose, but also to provide suflicient material for the pocket 23 and for the outside overlapping or fiange'portions 24..

The base portion of the" movable clippref-v erably extends inwardly beyond; the inside edge of a rail in order that theinsulator 7 member 21 may extend inwardly beyond the base of the rail soth'at' such"insulatofmem ber may be fastened, for example, as riv Jeting, beyond the inner edge of therail,

vsuch fastening means-beingindieated'cat 25,1

p for the purpose of positively securing the 10 side ft]. rail while at thesame time preserving the insulating characteristics.

In Fig.3, I show another wayo'fi insulator member; tol the clip." attthe inner fastening the 'innerfend of the insulator strip 21. Here the. inner end 26' of the Strip isbent down and perforated at 27 for the rod in order that the rod: may hold the inner end ofthe a strip: against lateraldisplacement i i From theiforegoing it will be apparent that I have devised an insulating t pe of a. gauge rod clip in which thekinsulator is snnple in design and which design lends itself to the" production of a durable construction 7 and-one in which the insulator member is .held positively in position against lateral creepage. I 1

While I have shown my invention inbut one form, it will be obvious to those skilled in'the art that it is not so limited, but, is susceptible of various other changes and modifications without departing from the spirit thereof, and I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed there i upon as areimposed by the prior a-rtor as thefcrodior causing said clip to move in-' are specific claims.

Having thus described; my invention, what, I claim .as'new and desire to secure by Letally set forth in the appended ters Patent is: I Y I V 1. In a gaugerod construction, the combination of a 'rod member having a threaded end, a clip movable longitudinally ofthe rod and having a seatportion shaped to engage a flange portion of a track rail, nut

means engaging the threaded end portion of wardliy to, engage thetrack rail, aninsulator member shaped to conform with the general configuration ofsaidi seat portion of the clip latterand. the trackrail, and an abutment and adapted toqbe interposed between-the:

member projectingfrom the movable clip.

and adapted to, engage, the. insulator member so .as to prevent lateral movementuthereof withrespect Goths-clip member. 2;. In a gaugerod construction, the combination of a rod member having afixedclip at one end and having its other en thread- "able clip having a seat portion adapted/to ed,,a movable cliploosely mounted on the 10d, nut means engaging the thr ad d d end ontside otthe. movable clip, said; movwreck rail elm ex end nea h; the bottom face afisaidftansey an inisntater membereoi- 13 In a gauge rod constructiomihe combi nation of a rod member havinga fixedwclip atone end. and; having its other end 'thI-eaded, a movable clip' loosely mounted on the rod; .n'ut means engagingit'he threaded-rod end outside of the movable 7 clip, 7 said m'Ov able clip havinga seat portion "disposedbeneath the base of a raih over the outside flange of thelatter, and? contiguously to1the 7 Web thereof, an insulatorsmember of substantially uniform? cross section and-shaped longitudinally toflconform with the general configuration of the seat portion of the movable clip and an abutment'memberj projecting inwardly from the movable clip, and adapted to. engage the insulator member: so

as to prevent lateral movement thereofrwith respect to the last mentioned clip member when the gauge rod is clamped in position on the track rails; 1

34. In a gauge" rod construction, the combination of-a rod member having afixed clip at one end, a movable clip mounted on the) rod ,in opposedu'elatimi the fixedclip, means; engaging said rod and, adapted: to cause the clips to move toward each other,

each of said clip s h-aving hook portions adaptedengageover the flanges ofa track rail, an nsulator memberof substantiallyf uni-form crossv section and shaped longitudinallyto conform with the, general configuration of the-rail engaging surface ofoneiof the hook portions, and anabutment member projecting. inwardly; from the last mentioned clipj member and adapted to engage-the in-i isnlator member ,so as 'toprevent relative lateral movement thereof when the gauge rod is clamped inpositio'non thetrac-lr rails. ,5. In ;arailway ft-rackconstruction, the

combination with a pair of track-reflect a gauge rod comprising a rod member having a fixed-clip atone end a movableclinmount ed on the no'dinopposed relation tothe fixed clip; means engaging the rod-amember and operablejto cause the clipsto-f'r'nove toward each 'fother and clamp the rails-{an insulator member, interposed between" one of the clip members and its rail, and an abutment Inemberprojrec'ting from the last-men tioned clip member and engaging-the insutive displacement thereof.

V latoiz member to; positivelypxeverib the; relacombination with a pair of trabkrailsaiafi a.

gauge c mp ising 1 .a n red haw ing a fixed clip at one end, a movable clip mounted on the rod in opposed relation to the fixed clip, means engaging the rod member and operable to cause the clips to grip the outside flanges of the track rails, an insulator member interposed between one of the clip members and the contiguous surfaces of a rail, and abutment members projecting inwardly from the last-mentioned clip member and engaging the insulator member laterally to positively prevent lateral movement thereof with respect to the clip member.

7. In a railway track construction, the combination with a pair of track rails, of a gauge rod comprising a pair of clip members engaging over the outside flanges of the track rails, a. rod member connecting said clip members, an insulator member interposed between one of the clip members and a rail, and means projecting from the latter clip member and engaging said insu lator member to prevent positively relative movement between the insulator member and its clip member.

8. In a railway track construction, the combination with a pair of track rails, of a gauge rod comprising a pair of clip members in opposed relation and engaging over the outside flanges of the track rails, a rod member connecting said clip members, one of said clip members extending inwardly be yond the inner edge of the flange rail and also extending inwardly and upwardly into contiguity with the outside face of the web of said rail, an insulator member interposed between the last mentioned clip member and the rail, and means to positively prevent lateral movement of the insulator member with respect to the clip member.

9. The combination with a pair of track rails, of a gauge rod structure comprising a pair of clip members in opposed relation and engaging over the outside flanges of the track rails, a rod member connecting said clip members, an insulator member in terposed between one of the clip members and the rail, said insulator member and the last mentioned clip member extending beyond the inner edge of the rail, and means disposed beyond the rail to fasten the latter members in fixed relation with respect to one another.

10. In a gauge rod construction, the combination of a rod member having a fixed clip at one end, a movable clip loosely fitting over the other end of the rod member, means for causing the movable clip to move toward the fixed clip in order that the clips may grip outside flanges of the rails of a track, the movable clip including a base portion having a flat upper surface disposed beneath the base of a rail and extending beyond the inner edge of the inner flange of the latter and having an outer portion which overa? hangs the outer flange of a rail, said overhanging and base portions forming a pocket provided with end walls at the junctions thereof, an insulator member interposed betweenthe rail and the base and overhanging portionsand having a bent or angular portion disposed in said pocket and one end of the insulator member extending beyond the inner edge of the rail, and means for se curing the inner end of the insulator member to the base member beyond the inner edge of the base of the rail.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature this 22nd day of July, 1925.

NEIL E. SALSICH. 

